Iltija Mufti / 'Hindutva is a philosophy of hatred, it is a disease' - Mehbooba Mufti's daughter

Iltija Mufti: People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader and Mehbooba Mufti's daughter Iltija Mufti recently made a controversial statement about Hindutva, after which discussions have intensified in political circles. Iltija strongly criticized Hindutva, calling it a "philosophy of hate", due to which many leaders, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have given sharp reactions.

Iltija Mufti's statement: Difference between Hindutva and Hinduism

Iltija Mufti said, "There is a huge difference between Hindutva and Hinduism. Hinduism is a religion that preaches love, compassion and secularism. Whereas Hindutva is a philosophy of hate, which was promoted by Veer Savarkar in the 1940s. Its aim was to establish the supremacy of Hindus and prove that India is only for Hindus." He further said, "The slogan 'Jai Shri Ram' which was associated with the concept of Ramrajya has now become a symbol of incidents like lynching. It is very unfortunate that a sacred religion is being distorted in this way. I have criticized it, seeing Hindutva as a disease."

BJP expressed protest

Jammu and Kashmir BJP unit president Ravinder Raina strongly criticized Iltija Mufti's statement. He said, "Such abusive language should not be used in politics. There may be differences, but this type of rhetoric is unacceptable. Iltija Mufti should apologize for her statement."

Mehbooba Mufti also recently made controversial statement

This is not the first time that the Mufti family has been surrounded by controversies. Recently, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti compared the current situation in Bangladesh with India. BJP had strongly objected to her statement. BJP leaders called it tarnishing the image of India and insulting.

Political impact

This statement of Iltija Mufti has not only revived the debate on Hindutva vs Hinduism, but has also created a new stir in the politics of Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP is trying to mobilize its supporters by calling it an insult to religious sentiments, while the PDP has called it a part of freedom of expression.

Will this debate end?

The discussion on the concept of Hindutva and religion is not new in India, but such statements increase the possibility of deepening political polarization. While the BJP considers it a spoiler of communal harmony, leaders like Iltija present it as an ideological criticism.

It will be interesting to see what impact these statements will have in the future. At present, this issue has brought a new turn in the politics of the country.

#WATCH जम्मू: PDP नेता इल्तिजा मुफ़्ती ने कहा, "हिंदुत्व और हिंदू धर्म में बहुत अंतर है। हिंदुत्व नफरत का दर्शन है जिसे वीर सावरकर ने 1940 के दशक में भारत में फैलाया था जिसका उद्देश्य हिंदुओं का आधिपत्य स्थापित करना था और दर्शन यह था कि भारत हिंदुओं का है और हिंदुओं के लिए है।… pic.twitter.com/y9uGpyfGEJ

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